The ocean has always been central to life in Hawai‘i, providing food, cultural benefits and recreation.

But threats such as overfishing, coastal development and harmful runoff have weakened ocean health — and essential fish populations.

To ensure that the ocean will feed Hawaiʻi's people for generations to come, Conservation International Hawai'i merges traditional knowledge with Western science, conservation tools and strategies for changing how people and business value local, sustainable seafood.

Why is Hawai‘i important?

Food We Eat

Seafood, an important source of protein and essential fatty acids, contributes to the nutritional well­being of millions of people across the world. In Hawaiʻi, more than 90% of people consume seafood on a regular basis — nearly three times the U.S. average.

Jobs And Prosperity

Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs provide tremendous value: They attract divers and snorkelers, support fisheries that provide food and income, harbor unique biodiversity that draws scientists and researchers, and increase property values. Combined, these benefits contribute an estimated US$ 360 million to the state’s economy every year.

Joy And Inspiration

The ocean is a source of renewal and recreation for Hawaiʻi’s residents and visitors alike. For centuries, the ocean has served as a wellspring of cultural practice, values and traditional knowledge. Today, 68% of Hawai‘i’s households regularly enjoy the ocean and all the pastimes it has to offer, including fishing. Of the 7 million visitors to the island chain each year, 80% participate in beach activities, and more than half snorkel or dive.

EditText:Due to threats such as overfishing, coastal development and harmful runoff, 75% of Hawaiʻi’s small-scale fisheries are depleted or in critical condition. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, Hawaiians once sustained abundant coral reef fisheries and sophisticated fish pond aquaculture systems that supplied up to 2 million pounds of local fish per year. In comparison, aquaculture production of local shellfish and finfish in Hawai‘i today yields just 623,000 pounds. Combined with the loss of traditional fishing and resource management practices, the collapse of reefs and coastal fisheries contributes to a depleted supply of local, sustainable seafood for the people of Hawaiʻi.

EditText:Hawaiʻi’s food system is highly dependent on imports: 80% to 90% of food consumed in Hawai‘i is imported, including 63% of all commercially sold seafood. This is costly in both environmental and monetary terms. As seafood consumption increases and climate change impacts begin to be felt, Hawaiʻi’s reliance on costly foreign imports will increase unless there is a shift to local, sustainable food production.

EditText:Hawaiʻi is the only coastal U.S. state that does not issue recreational marine fishing licenses — a missed opportunity for collecting catch data and for raising much-needed funds for fisheries management and enforcement. Currently, the state government invests only 1% of its budget in natural resource management, leading to significant oversight gaps.

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EditItem Text:CI Hawai‘i works with fishing communities and policymakers to help Hawaiʻi’s fish populations thrive. At the community level, CI Hawai‘i fosters responsible fishing and traditional knowledge­sharing by engaging local fishers and hosting educational family fishing camps. At the state level, we have worked with the Department of Land and Natural Resources to launch a Community Fisheries Enforcement Unit, which spurred a 90% compliance rate with fishing regulations (such as those that prohibit illegal netting) in a patrol area around the island of Maui. We also bring together communities, nonprofits and state agencies to support collaborative management of Hawai‘i’s marine resources.

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EditItem Text:CI Hawai‘i designs and implements ridge-to-reef solutions — holistic approaches that link land and coastal ecosystems. For example, we have worked with local community members to keep nearly 20 tons (or 2.5 dump trucks’ worth) of sediment from rainstorms off a reef near the island of Lānaʻi. Other projects include restoring seafood production in fish ponds.

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EditItem Text:Working with the local seafood industry, CI Hawai‘i is developing a program that tracks seafood from hook to plate. Because seafood certified as sustainable commands higher prices in the marketplace, this approach will create incentives for producers, restaurants and retailers to provide consumers with a safe, healthy supply of sustainably harvested seafood. To connect local fishers directly to consumers — and put seafood at the center of the local food economy — CI Hawai‘i also launched the state’s first “community supported fishery.”

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34 family fishing camps

In 13 communities on six islands, CI Hawai‘i led Lawai‘a ‘Ohana (family fishing) camps — opportunities for more than 2,000 participants to learn responsible fishing techniques and engage in natural resource management.

30,500 meals

A seafood security assessment with the Kīholo community on Hawaiʻi Island determined that the Kīholo fishery provides around 30,500 meals every year and is worth $US 80,000. CI Hawai‘i has secured a grant to conduct similar estimations in four other communities.

17 regulations, now 1 permit

CI Hawaiʻi supported the development of a streamlined permitting system for Hawaiian fishpond restoration, repair and maintenance, consolidating 17 environmental regulations into 1 single permit.